Promise Me
by Yuuki no Yuki
Summary: Yuki seems to have left Cross academy and a certain boy in shambles and it's up to Yori to fix this mess. But how can she when her own tradgic story starts to unfold? In the end what's more inportant friendship...or love? SayoriXZero
1. Promise

Okay so this story came about from me rereading the first chapter of VK and the listening to Rika from digimon season3 sing Promise. It may also have something to do with the fact that these two are an under used pair but oh well... Anyway this takes place after the manga time-skip and is my story of what could/should happen. So **beware** possible **spoilers** for those who have yet to reach the time skip. Any way enjoy...

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Vampire knight or the song Promise (which shall only be used in this chapter as a kick off point.) I do however own Hinako, go supporting characters!

_Review- Dream/Memories_

**_Review-Song lyrics_**

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_Better a broken promise than none at all._

_~ Mark Twain ~_

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**"**_**Promise me will wait for the sunset…"** _Sayori sang softly while staring through her second story dorm's window at the growing crowd of anxious students below her.

**"_And when the moon shines through the darkness,"_** she continued while searching for a familiar face,

_**"we can find the path that leads us home. And on the way you'll…"**_ she sighed while turning to gaze at a picture by her bed stand,

_**"maybe,"**_ she said while a single lone tear fell down her cheek,

_**"sing me a song."**_

The next minute she jumped at the sound of frantic knocking coming from her door. "Yori," called out one of her dorm-mates, "hurry up or you'll be late for the opening ceremony!" Sighing she grabbed the bag that rested by her feet and began the trek towards her school…_her_ school…it had been her school for nearly a year and a half now.

Ever since the day Yuki left, she had opted to stop saying _our _school, because quiet frankly it wasn't their school anymore. Sighing Sayori looked up at her school and swore, she had promised herself that she would let go, Yuki was moving on and by George so would she!

"I'm always being protected," she mumbled to herself, "no more, I'll show them all that I can get on just fine by myself! Gosh now I sound just like Yuki," she chuckled to herself.

"Who?" questioned the dorm-mate who'd been kind enough to 'wake' Yori up this morning, although truthfully it wasn't needed, Yori _always _woke up on time. It was a habit that her mother had instilled in her at an early age, and one that Yukihad unconsciously helped refine by always entering their chamber at the break of dawn.

A habit that Yori had once commented made her seem like a vampire. Yori just laughed at the irony of it all, successfully confusing the girl on her right, thus reminding her of the girl's previous question, "Sorry, you asked who Yuki was right?" Nodding the girl shot Sayori a worry filled gaze that was completely ignored. "Yuki is my fri--"

"No one," Kiryu commented from behind, "Yuki. Is. No. One." he reiterated while sending Yori a look that clearly said 'do you _want_ us to erase your memory?' She just stared back impassively, she wasn't about to push her luck, she was far to smart for that.

Nor did she want to make Kiryu mad, kami knows he's been through enough; but that didn't mean she had to give him the joy of seeing her reaction. She had learned from a young age to guard her heart, it was another lesson her mother had forced on her, although that women of ice did later come to regret giving her daughter such a...useful tool.

She would've easily gotten her daughter to give up the inheritance if she only knew what played on Yori's heartstrings. At this Yori smiled, her own mother didn't know a thing about her, "I guess that just means I've always been a good judge of character," she thought while walking towards the schools entrance leaving a dumbfounded girl and bemused vampire behind.

* * *

_**"Promise that you always will be there,"** _Sayori sang while attempting to drown out the headmaster's speech of how amazing this year would be.

_**"Hold my hand if ever I'm real scared,"**_ she continued while searching for a familiar set of eyes amongst the crowd.

_"**Help me stand up tall if I fall down," **_she whispered right when her eyes met Kiryu's.

_**"Make me laugh away..."**_ she continued her eyes never leaving the vampire hunters, _**"...all my bluest days!"**_

"_**How cou--"**_

"Sayori Wakaba!" the school's headmaster called into the microphonecausing both Yori and Zero's head to snap toward his direction, "congratulations on being placed on the prefect," he continued causing the entire student body to erupt in an explosion of happiness and cheers.

"Wait prefect?" Sayori silently questioned, "why would we need a prefect if the night-class is no longer here?" As if reading her mind Zero turned to stare at Yoriand motioned with his head towards the right, the direction in which the night class used to reside.

Understanding his question Yori nodded her head, Kiryu just sighed and motioned for her to pay attention to what Headmaster Cross was saying. Obliging Yori pushed away the memories threatening to invade her mind, memories that always responded to that single that Yoriwillfully tortured herself with, memories of _him_, and turned to face the headmaster.

"Like I was saying," the headmaster continued while starring straight at Yori, "we've decided to allow an elite group of students to attend our school, their classes will take place at night and it will be Wakaba and Kiryu's job to make sure everything goes smoothly." At this Sayori, and roughly two other kids let out a small gasp.

"He couldn't be thinking about..." she whispered to herself while searching for Kiryu again, he obviously knew what was going on. "...could he?" she questioned while she watched Zero whisper something into the ear of a new teacher. Sayori watched seemingly from a distance as Cross-sancontinued with his speech, and Kiryu-kuncontinued with his whispering.

Her mind was going a mile a minute trying to make some sense of what was going on. Allthough on the outside she seemed to be earnestly paying attention to what ever rubish her headmaster was spewing. "Yuki," she whispered, "will you be returning as well?"

"Of course she will," Kiryu-kun whispered from behind Sayori _again_, "you don't think that damn Kuran would go any where without his precious _fiancee_, do you?" He questioned while Yori turned to glare at him. "Headmasters office, five minutes, be there," he continued before turning on his heels and walking away.

Yori just scoweled at his retreating figure, "Seriously Yuki," she mumbled under her breath, "what did you ever see in that guy?"

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"So do you understand?" he said while staring at me, "you were chosen because you already know of their secret, and also have a close...relationship with one of the pure-bloods who will be attending," he continued while sending Zero a warning glance. "We hope that you two can work together to help keep our school safe!" he said while switching to his happy persona.

"Of course headmaster," I stated a sincere smile on my face, "it would be my honor to help Cross academy in any way I can," I continued carefully concealing my true emotions. It wouldn't do to start breaking down in tears, even if they we're tears of happiness. "I'm grateful I was chosen for this position, and hope I can live up to your expectations."

"Glad to hear it Wakaba-san, now if you would just follow Zero we can get you a weapon."

"Weapon?" I questioned confused, while looking back and forth between Kiryu-kun and Cross-san, "why would I need a weapon?" I continued, "I thought I was only here for political reasons, you needed someone with an emotional connection to the vampire world to help smooth over negotiations...right?"

"Yes and no," Cross-san stated slightly uncomfortable, "that's the reason we gave the hunter organization in order to get their approval, and all though it's true that you're needed for political reasons their is another reason that _we _requested _your_ help."

"Another reason?" I asked, "and that would be..."

"Classified," Kiryu-kun said while grabbing me by my arm and pulling me out of the office. Sheesh what's with this guys strength it's almost as if he's not human...oh wait, he isn't. "What song were you singing before?"

"What?" I asked lost, "Oh, you mean during the opening ceremony," I continued while looking at him. Smirking I turned so that I was no longer facing him and said, "classified." At this Zero's grip on my arm tightened, why I do not know, I mean you wouldn't think something like this would get to him...would you?

I just continued to walk desperately trying to ignore the disappointment that radiated off of Kiryu-kun, not that he _showed_any emotion, I only knew because I'm sorta, well kinda, just a little empathic. Any way so here I was desperately trying to ignore this guys emotions when I suddenly realized he probably thought I'd been singing about Yuki.

So rather than explain anything to him, it's my life and I shouldn't have to, I opened my mouth and began to pick up the song from where he last heard.

_**"How could you promise you always would be there?"**_I sang while stopping and staring into Kiryu-kun's eyes.

_**"Why'd you have to go away somewhere?"**_I continued while staring past Kiryu and into the eyes of another much older male, apparently noticing the change Zero quickly turned around only to find the hallway empty. Ignoring his action I just continued to stare into the eyes of my father.

_**"Every morning into every night,"**_ I continued tears stinging my eyes, _**"Do you watch over me like the sun in the sky?"**_

_**"Am I all alone or standing in your light?"**_I said while staring at a seven year old version of my self clinging to his picture for dear life. The smaller me then caught my eyes and we simultaneously continued.

_**"I wish that I could,"**_ we sang tears staining our cheeks, _**"maybe..."**_I said as mini me began to break into hysterical sobs letting go of his picture, causing it to hit the ground and shatter into a million pieces.

_**"Sing you a song..."**_ I continued as a younger version of my mother came in and started yelling at me for making such a racket _**"...tonight."**_I finished while turning away from my memories and facing Kiryu-kunstraight on. He stared at me for a moment with a look of understanding before turning his back on the whole incident.

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_"Papa?" a seven year old Sayoriquestioned while looking up into the kind amber eyes of her father, "why does mama get so angry when she sees me? Did I do something to make her mad?" As soon as the words left her mouth Yori desperately wished she could take them back, she would do anything to release her father of his sudden depression._

_"It's not your fault Sayo-chan," her father lied. Sayori just sighed and shook her head while watching the beautiful sunset before her. "You have to understand Sayo," he continued giving her a sympathetic look, "your mother grew up in an environment were women were considered useless."_

_At this Yori visually straightened up, she could tell her father wasn't lying through her empathy, not to mention she had never been told anything of her mothers past. "Her family believed women were only around to bear chil--, I mean...be mothers." he continued while staring at the darkening sky before him, "and of course they wouldn't be happy unless your mother had a son."_

_"So mama's mad that I'm a girl?" Sayori questioned. Her father just nodded his head and avoided his daughters gaze, the truth was he had been hoping for a son as well. Someone to take over his business when his illness eventually got the better of him. "That's a relief," he heard his daughter say, "I thought I'd done something wrong." She said while starring happily at the sunless sky._

_Sayori's father just chuckled and whispered something that was lost on the wind. Turning to ask her father what he had said Sayori was shocked as her father burst into flames a smile playing at his lips, "Papa!" she yelled as the fire spread to burn everything around it. She watched as the scene exploded in sparks like an old photograph that had caught on fire. _

_After a few moments of this destruction the seven year old was left in the middle of darkness. She could barely make out some voices talking to her...no about her. _

_"...left her everything," one said._

_"only one in the will..." another chimmed in._

_"...even left out his wife!" the third and final voice shouted, effectively snapping Sayori out of her stupor. _

_Yori just looked up and took in her surroundings, she was in a church she noted, and everyone's wearing black, even herself..."wait when did I change?" Yori questioned, causing everyone in the room to look at her. "What?" she continued oblivious, "is there something on my face?"_

_"Sayori dear..." her aunt called from her right, Yori briefly noted her to be one of the three gossiping voices, "...you spoke." She continued as if it were the most unbelievable thing in the world. Confused Sayori just stared at her aunt as if she'd gone crazy. _

_"I'm sorry?" Yori apologized unsure, "I didn't realize speaking was taboo." But her sarcasm was lost on the amazed crowd seriously they act as if they hadn't seen her speak in weeks._

_"Sayo-chan," her uncle called, seemingly surprised she didn't flinch at the nickname. How'd she known this...well empathy of course, that and all the whispered, "she didn't even react to being called Sayo-chan!'s" floating around._

_"Uncle," she said acknowledging his presence, "whats going on here? You're all acting as if you've seen a ghost," she chuckled._

_"We might as well have," Yori's annoying cousin called from beside her aunt, she faintly recognized him as another gossiper, "seeing as you haven't spoken in two months!" At this Yori froze, and slowly turned to gaze at her cousin confused, "yup not one word since Uncle Yue gave into his illness."_

_"What do you mean?" Yori yelled desperately while darting from face to face, only to have them all turn away from her ashamed. Ignoring this reaction she continued to search for some sort of answer. Tears sting her eyes she began searching for her mother, after all her mother would understand how she felt...right?_

_Rather than finding her mother Sayori found her father, or at least a picture of her father. A beautiful picture of her father Yue dressed in a tux, a picture that was surrounded by hundreds of white roses. Unconsciously Sayori had been drawing closer and closer to the picture and now stood a mere foot away from it. She lifted her hand to stroke the glass while whispering, "no."_

_She then picked up the picture frame and began singing to her father, began singing a song she had written for the day he'd overcome his illness, and was now being sung at his funeral. As the words of the song left her mouth the scenery around her began to fade until only Yori and a weathered picture of her father remained._

_Sighing Yori let go of the picture and watched as it turned to ash, at the same time growing from a seven year old to a seventeen year old girl. Yoriwatched as the scenery once again changed and with tears in her eyes looked up at the now twilight sky while whispering**, "you promised me we'd stay for the sunset**.**" **_

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_**"Yori...Yori! Hurry up, if you don't wake up now will be late for the first day of school...Sayori wake up!" my new room-mate yelled into my ear. Sighing I got up and motioned for her (I believe her name was Hinako) to leave. Getting the message Hinako shook her head disapprovingly but grabbed her bag and left any way.

I took that as my que to go back to sleep, I had been excused from classes and saw no reason to waste my break awake. Especially considering I'd been up all night with Kiryu-kun training with my new weapon, not that I'd ever need it I'm sure vampires have better things to do than attack a weakling like me.

Anyway I'm obviously tired, and the fact that I was plagued by memories of my childhood did not help. "Relax Yori," I whispered, "It's all in the past you promised you'd move on." I stated while serenely smiling at a picture on my bed stand, "he'd want me to." I sighed when I noticed a letter next to the picture of my loving father.

Sighing, man I was doing a lot of that lately, I grabbed the letter and began skimming through it...

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** To whom it may concern,**

**We are righting to inform you that the day of your examination has been set.  
On Monday January 12th, exactly one week from today you are to be escorted  
to the Vampire Hunter Association's (VHA) headquarters for screening.  
Depending on your scores on the mental, practical, and hypothetical test  
given to you, you shall either be accepted into the organization or have  
any memory connected to this world erased.**

** Sincerely,**

** Vampire Hunter Association**

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Okay so that's the first chapter of Promise Me... please tell me what you think in a review!

Until next time,

Ja ne


	2. Protect

Srry peeps I had alot more to say in this Author's note but this program keeps erasing it...just bare with any typos' or OCness please, and possibly point them out to me if you can. Thnx for your reviews (I origanilly listed names but sadly this program is being retarded and so to get this chapter out quickly I omitted them.)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Vampire Knight, if I did Yori would be the main character and I'd of lost half the audience.

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_We are not creatures of circumstance; we are creators of circumstance._

_~Benjamin Disraeli~_

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Wait…Vampire Hunter? But I never agreed to this, I _would_ never agree to this. That would be the same as stabbing a knife in Yuki's back. I mean yeah she left but it's not as if she did it to hurt me. If any thing it was done to protect me. Although I don't believe I needed protecting but still it's the thought that counts!

So what if they erase my memories it's better than betraying Yuki…even if it means forgetting about her. But would that also be considered betrayal, I can't imagine Yuki would want to face off against me but I'm sure she'd like that better than never seeing me. Aug! This is no use I'm just running around in circles.

Any way, I doubt I could bear loosing my memories, no matter what I say, man I'm so selfish! Sigh! Schools only just started and I already feel as if I'm loosing my mind and I haven't even attended any classes, which reminds me I should probably bring this up with the Headmaster.

"Wait…the Headmaster," I mumbled to myself while throwing on my uniform and grabbing the leather pouch that held my very own Anti-Vampire weapon. Athena, my mess of cords blades and things mysteriously resembling needles, is the code known as a 'weapon' that I have yet to crack.

Under normal circumstances I would have left her in the dorm rather than risk being caught with her and having to explain why I was carrying a bunch of obviously dangerous items in a small Celtic pouch. But I have a distinct feeling that this was not a normal circumstance and that if anything, the next few minutes of my life were going to leave me raring for some combat practice a.k.a stress relief, in which case having my weapon handy would do me some good.

After making sure my pouch was securely fastened and my bed properly made I jolted from my room. In a matter of moments I had made it across the school yard over the fern bushes and into the main office building, all with out breaking a sweat. This magnificent feat was rendered possible due to my constant practice at the gym.

Now I don't mean the running on treadmills or lifting weights gym, but rather the actual gym…gymnasium in which the sport that the facility is named for takes place. In other words my incredible stamina is due entirely to the fact that I'm a gymnast, even though I wouldn't consider myself a good gymnast considering I've never scored anything better than an *8.5 on any event and tend to struggle to get even an 8 on vault.

But the fact still remains that I can run a mile in under six minutes, and can clear seven feet on the high jump, I may not be the best gymnast but there are still pluses to the grueling training that it's placed me through, albeit willingly, like arriving in front of the Headmasters office looking to the world as if I took a leisurely stroll there.

"The exams, are you serious?" I heard a voice whisper from behind the door.

"Yes Zero I'm quiet serious," a second more mature voice answered, "you know the organization's been keeping an eye on me since the moment Yuki left, we could hardly expect them to accept the offer with out some insurance."

There was a brief pause after this statement, which gave me time to process two thoughts. One, I was eavesdropping on an obviously confidential conversation between the headmaster and Kiryu-kun, and two; I was eavesdropping on an obviously confidential conversation…about me. Now normally I wouldn't condone eavesdropping but under the circumstances I believe I was perfectly justified in continuing my endeavor.

"Insurance?" I heard Kiryu hiss, "And this is what you call insurance? Sending an obviously ill prepared busy-body to take the most grueling exam in this country with the full belief that she will fail miserably, their by becoming property of the organization!"

"I don't believe she will fail Zero, if anything I'm expecting her to pass."

"But she's untrained!"

"And? We still have time to train her, besides I think you underestimate her intelligence and instinct. Which we both know counts for much more in the heat of battle than basic training."

"Even so…there are other obstacles."

"Such as?"

"Well for one she's pacifistic." Kiryu sated in a contemptuous voice that made my hair stand up in anger, I mean what's wrong with not fighting?

"So? I am too and I had no trouble passing." Yeah you tell him Headmaster!

"But it's different with you." What? No it's not; don't judge me when you've never even gotten to know me!

"Different? How so?"

"Well…she's more frail." What!

"She's been a competitive gymnast for well over eight years now." Yeah!

"…and she's naturally distant from everyone." Am not!

"You're one to talk Zero, besides she's just…observant, and don't forget that she lost her best friend you can't expect her to open up so soon." Yuki…

"Well, she's still a girl!"

"So was you're mother."

"You know what I mean, the test is especially difficult on girls, and my mother was trained for it since birth." Kiryu-kun's mother?

"So it comes back to training," headmaster stated while sighing heavily, "well I suppose that will be the biggest problem. But before we tackle it why don't we get Wakaba's opinion?"

"I'll go fetch her."

"No need, Sayori you may enter," the Headmaster called his voice carrying clearly through the door. I took a deep breath to brace myself then chin in the air I entered. If Kiryu was surprised by my sudden appearance he didn't show it. "I assume you heard our conversation?" The headmaster said bringing my mind back to the task at hand.

I simply nodded not trusting my voice at this time. "And are you willing to participate in the exams?" Another nod. "what about the training it will require, do you think you're up to my special lessons?"

Here I found my voice and with courage I didn't feel managed to say, "actually, since Kiryu-kun thinks me so ill-prepared I thought it would be best if he trained me…sir." At this the Headmaster gave a small knowing smile, good, so he understood how peeved I was and hopefully wouldn't hold it against me if drove Kiryu insane…literally.

"I agree with you completely Sayori, and Zero no you don't have a say in the matter. Your practice will begin at 7 p.m sharp tomorrow. That way you'll have time to rest after your club activities and can claim it as training for your prefect duties, which it most certainly will double as."

Grunting Kiryu made for the door, I just smiled knowing that I had caused this small piece of discomfort all sympathy for him gone. Turning to leave I barely heard the headmasters whispered, "Don't torture him too badly; after all he was just trying to protect you."

"I know," I whispered more to myself than any one else, "they're always trying to protect you. But one day they need to realize that you can protect yourself just fine, they're not helping, if anything they're only making your life more difficult."

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*_Gymnastics is a highly dangerous sport in which the participent competes in 4 events. Vault, Bars, Beam, and Floor, each event poses unique challenges. The object of the sport is to preform your routine as close to perfect as possible therby getting a 10. An 8.5 is not particularly low, but not a good score either and depending on the level of the participent can be seen as scoring either a B or C on an exam. Rarely would one place with that score, place as in earning either a gold, silver, or bronze medal._

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Thanks for reading my Chappie and please review!  
They're great for motivation and cause my story machine to work over time.  
Thanks again!

_Ja ne_


	3. Patience

I'm back! Sorry I know its been more than a week. But this stupid person (me) went and adopted a story, then got hooked on a new manga, finally sat down to write this chapter, and totally disgusted with it rewrote the whole thing. Not to mention I know how OOC they are and it kills me, I think I'll have to reread the manga to get a feel for their characters. On a better note I've planned out every chapter of this series and so will have an easier time from now on. Yay! Well here's the chapter and I made it a bit longer to make up for the wait, and last chapters shortness. So please enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Vampire Knight...I'm just not that epic.

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_I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end. _

_~ Margaret Thatcher ~_

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Every job requires skill, ever sport dedication, and every organization has rules that must be obeyed. These are things I've never questioned, never challenged, always accepted as absolute. But over the last couple of days I have seriously begun revising my thoughts.

Not that I don't believe skill, dedication, and order are important. It's just that with the hellish training Kiryuu-kun'sputting me through I'm beginning to question whether dedication is as important as rest, or whether deceit could conquer skill, and maybe life would be just a little bit easier without rules.

"WAKABABA!" Kiryuu-kun yelled jeering me from my thoughts. "How many times do I have to tell youto pay ATTENTION!" he screamed anger flashing in his eyes…okay so maybe screamed was just a little over the top, and his eyes may have had a rather un-flashing exterior, but I'm telling you my empathy senses he's angry.

"Um…Kiryuu-kun…would you mind repeating that?" I questioned for the third time that day, not that I'm not paying attention or anything it's just…okay so maybe I'm not paying attention. Hey don't judge me, you wouldn't be able to concentrate either if you'd just run a 5K marathon…again…and again…and again until you literally dropped from exhaustion.

"Really, and you're supposed to be intelligent."

"Hey what's that supposed to mean!" I indignantly yelled at Zero, he can insult me all he wants, but to insult my _intelligence_ that's taking it a little too far.

"Exactly what it sounds like, I thought you were supposed to be intelligent but I guess I was misinformed." Why that little…calm done Sayori…calm down…don't say something you might regret. Just remember, only two days left before the exam, you can survive until then.

"…kness is always located behind their left cor…"

After all, you don't really have a choice, if you want to keep your friendship with Yuki then passing is your only option,

"…so striking there insures vict…"

and if by doing so Zero suffers, well that's all the better.

"Wakaba…"

After all he really deserves to,

"…Wakaba…"

suffer I mean.

"…Wakaba were you listening to a word I said?"

"Wha? Oh…um, something about a…weakness? Yeah, a weakness behind the left…thing that starts with c, and if youstrike that weakness then…you win?" I stated desperately trying to recall some of what Kiryuu-kun had been blathering on about for the past few minutes. Sighing and shooting me a hateful glare he continued with his lecture.

"I said…every Vampire has a specific weakness usually located on the left corner of their back. If you manage to strike them there then, most likely, you'll win. However the level E's that you would be facing know exactly where their weakness is and would be dammed before they let you get anywhere near it."

"Wait, then what happens if you can't find the weakness?" I questioned honestly curious.

"Well if you'd been paying attention you'd know that there are other ways to take out a vampire, and that as long as you know how to effectively use your anti-vampire weapon you'll be fine." He said while proceeding to pick Athena up from the ground and moving through her cords looking for something...what I don't know.

Honestly that weapon's a curiosity to me, I can't even begin to fathom how to use it. "Well, then we've got our work cut out for us," Kiryuu-kun sighed well tossing me a bracelet. Wait...a bracelet? Where did he get a bracelet from, and what did he mean by that statement?

"Huh?" I questioned, verbalizing my confusion in a single neat word all the while slipping the bracelet on my left wrist. After all it's only natural to place a bracelet on your wrist, and since I'm right handed of course it would end up on my left hand.

"We've. got. our. W-O-R-K. cut. out. for. us." Kiryuu-kun stated exaggeratingly slow. Seriously what's with this guy?

"Alright Kiryuu-kun, but _why_did you suddenly say that, and what's with this bracelet?" I askedwhile holding up my left arm...hey wait wasn't he just holding Athena? Where did that odd weapon go, he couldn't have hid her...could he? "And what in the world have you done with Athena?" I finished scanning the area for any sign off the trinket.

Kiryuu-kun just pointed to the bracelet on my left wrist...that was still standing in mid-air, and sighing turned to face me. "That bracelet _is_Athena, there killed two birds with one stone, and as for your first question...I said that because you where whining about not knowing how to use your weapon..." What! I never said that out-loud, don't tell me this guy can read minds! "...and no I can't read your mind."

"Wha? Then how'd you know I was thinking that?"

"It was written all over your face." Sure...I'd sooner believe you can read minds, although I have been more lax about expressing my emotion's recently. Why is that so? The only time I've ever felt so open was with Yuki, but even then our fights were small and repetitive. Nothing compared to my daily blow-outs with Kiryuu-kun.

"...ou push the tirgger on the le..."

I mean I used to get into argumentswith my father, but they were all over petty little things and when we looked back on them we'd laugh.

"...auses the strings to shoot out in diff..."

Besides Kiryuu-kun is nothing like my father, he's much to short tempered.

"Wakaba..."

Although he has been patient with me,

"...Wakaba..."

considering my tendency to zone out lately.

"...Wa-ka-ba..."

Really, it seems that without Yukihere I've become more irresponsible.

"...Wakaba if you don't answer me right now I'll tell the headmaster you called him a wuss." Snapping my head to face a scowling Kiryuu-kun I was suprised to find I'd zoned out once again. What was more surprising was the fact that rather than yell at me Kiryuu-kun managed to keep a cool head and got my attention by nonthreateningly threatening me.

Maybe I've been a little harsh on him lately. I mean headmaster Cross did say to take it easy on him, and considering how dificult I've been I can't really blame him for increasing my daily conditioning. Even if it is murder on my legs...darn I guess this means I should apologize for ignoring him...again. Stupid conscience.

"Um...Kiryuu-kun, I um...well what I mean to say is—

"Don't bother."

—wai...huh?"

Sighing well he scratched the back of his head Kiryuu-kun mumbled softly,"you were going to apologize weren't you?" I nodded curious about this turn of events. "Well don't bother, I don't need an apology from someonewho's so tired they can't even form complete sentences, really humans are so fragile." What! That...that...that jerk!

Where does he get off calling me fragile! Now you listen hear mister the only reason I'm so tired is bec—wait...tired? so he knew I was acting like this because I was exhausted from the earlier training. Could that be why he's been so patient? So when he said I wasn't intelligent that was just a ploy to draw attention away from the kindness he was showing me.

Pushing me until I improve and being patient when I simply don't get it. Not to mention that we fight over random things left and right. Even the fact that he'll play the bad guy to help you is the same. Man...the more I get to know him the more he seems to act just like my dad. Ah! Now that I think about it I even sang dad's song to him...really the similarities are uncanny.

"What were you just thinking about?"

"Huh?"

"You're face, it looked like you were thinking very hard about something and then instantly switched to a surprised look." Wait...really? Great, and here I thought I was good at hiding my emotions. It must be the fact that he resembles my father, so I'm naturally open around him...yeah that makes sense. Well I might as well tell him the truth, no use hiding it.

"I was thinkning about how much your like my father." Kiryuu-kun seemed taken back by this for a moment, and for a split second I think I saw him blush. But it was gone as soon as it came and so I can't be sure. Really now I want to know what he was thinking. Anyway a few seconds later he turned to me with a dead-panned look an pointed to the bracelet.

"Huh, I'd forgotten about that." I said whilegetting a better look at it. It seemed to be made of gold, or some sort of gold alloy, and was woven around my wrist as if three cords had been braided together. The middle cord seemed to have something etched into it in...German, Dutch...no maybe...a Romanized Greek?

"It's Latin, _Dea Patientia_, Patient Goddess." Kiryuu-kunsaid while gently grabbing my wrist and turning the bracelet around until the back was facing up. The second he'd done this he snatched his hand away and turned his back to me. Ignoring this I looked down at the bracelet and noticed an odd symbol, it looked like a horse shoe encasedin a circle.

"Uh...Kiryuu-kun?"

"They're letters from the Greek alphabet." Kiryuu-kun explained without turning around, "the smallest one is the last letter in the alphabet, _Omega_, it means 'big O' and in the numeric system stands for 800. The biggest one...the circle, _Omicron_, is exactly half way through the alphabet. It's meaning is 'little O' and has a value of 70."

"Um...okay, and the reason they're on the bracelet."

Sighing Kiryuu-kun picked up a stick and began drawing in the dirt. "They symbolize your weapons power. The fact that _Omicron_ is bigger than _Omega_ means you weapon doesn't follow the same rules as others of its kind."

"Wait weapons follow rules?"

"Haven't you been listening to anything this past week? Never mind don't answer that. Yes Anti-Vampire weapons have a will of there own. They have the ability to learn your fighting style and react in whichever way suites you. That is why used weapons are not in high regard, no matter how good the weapon they'llhave trouble adapting to a new persons style."

"Oh, so that's why you think I'm at such a disadvantage. Everyone else in the exam will have already formed a bond with their weapon." I smugly stated, eager to learn now that I'd deemed Kiryuu-kun a worthy human...ish person to teach me.

"Yes that's part of the reason. Any way, since weapons have the ability to adapt they also have strengths and weaknesses. We group weapons together based on these attributes. Sadly we can't know what they're skills are until after they're used and so are left making guesses based on their appearance."

"Their appearance? Youmean like how a bow and arrows would be good for long distance but useless in hand-to-hand combat?" I questioned suddenly aware of how little I knew about this world and its inner workings. I mean just the weaponry took up an entire lecture!

"Yes, well we've found that weapons in similar groups follow similar patterns, we call these rules, and as I said befor your weapon will be one of the few that don't follow the rules, or patterns of weapons like its self."

"Wait so my weapon's a freak?"

"No! Okay, think of it like this, when you hear Africa what do you think of?"

"Disease...huts...poverty...and um death?"

"Okay, and that's normal, in fact most of Africa is exactly how you described. But not _all_ of it is. R.S.A* for example is a first-world country with skyscrapers, malls, a proper education system and more. Does that make it a freak country just because it doesn't fit our stereotype?"

"I guess not," I stated unsurely, I mean I'm no idiot I know about South Africa and Mandela and all that, it just didn't pop into my head immediately. But because I'm no idiot I also know that the first-world country is in the running for the worst crime-rate on Earth.

"Right, and it's the same with your weapon."

"If you say so."

"I do, and I also say that you shouldn't be so quick to judge it. As it stands it seems to have a lot of promise."

"What, really?"

Kiryuu-kun just nodded his head and pointed at the _Omicron_ and _Omega_ symbols (the _Oo_ symbols) before continuing, "the _Omicron_ symbolizes 7 different 'forms' to your weapon, and the _Omega_ means their are 80 different combinations you can make between these forms. Of course I'm no expert but that's my best guest."

"So the strings of knives and needles?"

"One of its forms, its purpose I don't know." Kiryuu-kunstated while looking up at the ever darkening sky. "It's getting late we should head back...and take tomorrow off. You should rest before the exams. Oh, to activate your weapon just put your thumb on that symbol." He continued before walking off.

"Kiryuu-kun wait!" I called after his retreating figure. He didn't turn around but he stopped, and that was all I needed. "Thanks...for everything, and um how do you deactivate Athena?" Shaking his head he continued forward but no before I caught his strong, clear, response.

"Just find the symbol, put your thumb on it, and tell Athena that _Dea_ _Patientia_wants her to deactivate." Wait...if I want her to deactivate then I'm the Patient Goddess? Huh, wait so Kiryuu-kun just indirectly called me a goddess? Ha! Yuki'll get a kick out of this.

* * *

~R.S.A or Republic of South Africa. Like the name states the country farthest South in Africa. Colonized by the Dutch, and then conquered by the British it was a site of racial tension until 1993 when Nelson Mandela became the first black president within South Africa. Current location of the FIFA World Cup, and my homeland, it is a bueatiful place that suffers from its past.

P.S- Just curious, how old do you readers think I am? I'm curious about my writing style, and I can't judge the voice myself because...well its _my_ voice. Gangster mode...'nough said ;/

Thanks for reading my chappie hope you enjoyed!  
If so REVIEW!

Well, Ja ne!


	4. Preliminary

To any old readers this is simply a beta-d version of this chapter nothing's really changed (except some of the French) so…enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own VK...there I said it, happy now Japanese Mangaka who will never read this!

P.S – Thanks to **MidnightVampire18** and **InG-chan **for their reviews! I love reviews, from new and old readers alike!

* * *

_**I think it's wrong that only one company makes the game Monopoly. **_

_**~Steven Wright~ **_

* * *

The golden rays of the sun began peeking over the horizon, illuminating everything in its path and causing a particularly grumpy teenager to stir...ten thousand feet in the air.

"Stupid plane," Yori muttered as she looked out her window to the seemingly beautiful view below, seemingly, because the view Yori could see through her tinted windows _seemed _beautiful. "Who in their right mind would think of tinting plane windows?" She questioned, not really expecting a reply.

So I'm sure you can imagine her surprise when a girl around her age turned from the seat in front of Yori and whispered, "the VHA of course, and keep it down they're monitoring our conversation."

Yori sent a small nod the girl's way not letting on to the fact that the question had been rhetorical. After all this was a privately owned jet, used exclusively by the VHA, so they would be the only ones with the power to make any changes to it.

The question is why? Why tint the windows in the first place? Yori turned to the girl in front of her and almost voiced her question before remembering that their conversations were being monitored.

After deliberating a moment Yori sat back down in her chair and began once again staring out the window at her concealed view. Not that Yori thought she'd lose points for asking a stranger a question or anything, she just preferred keeping eavesdroppers out of her personal conversations.

Sighing in anger Yori was somewhat surprised by the thin mist that spread across her window, ever the more noticeable due to the dark background the tinting provided. "Must've had the air on too cold," she thought, while reaching up to adjust her private fan before stopping midway.

She then proceeded to stare at her raised hand, window, and the girl in front of her (in that exact order) "Duh!" Yori thought, while slowly lowering her raised hand, and tapping the red-head on the back.

The girl's head immediately snapped back and a "what?" soon followed. Yori motioned for the girl to be quiet and then pointing at her window used her finger to quickly draw the character for why.

The red-head, who Yori noticed had dark chocolate brown eyes, much more concrete than her own, seemed confused. However she soon came to understand the message and blowing on her window to create a canvas began painting her response.

The girls would've used paper but that had been confiscated at the airport. In fact all of their personal belongings were confiscated, phones, pencils, pillows...just about every p word imaginable.

In fact all they were aloud to board with were the clothes on their back and their weapons, rather ironic huh? THEY DON'T WANT US TO KNOW WHERE THE TEST SITE IS. The girl wrote rather quickly, well quickly considering the fact that she didn't look Japanese and spoke English.

BUT IT'S NOT LIKE IT MATTERS, Yori responded sketching flawlessly.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

Sighing Yori took a deep breath and released it on the window, her hand was starting to hurt from moving so much while carrying Athena...who was currently in bracelet form, "oh well" she thought, "no use wasting time." IF YOU LOSE, THEN YOUR MEMORIES ERASED, she continued.

WHO TOLD YOU THAT?

UMMM...MY INVITATION LETTER, she responded confused.

"Let me see," the girl said breaking the silence of the plane, but what was really surprising is that she said it Japanese.

"No paper remember," Yori answered surprised.

"Oh right! Darn..." the girl continued in perfect Japanese, "my name's Hitoriku Natsume err...Natsume Hitoriku." She stated while thrusting a hand in Yori's face. "My friends call me Tori it's easier for their English mouths."

Yori just continued staring at the hand in front of her face. "Umm...you shake it...I uh never mind," Hitoriku-san said as she pulled her arm back, "weird Japanese girl," she muttered under her breath in English before asking Yori's name.

Yori smiled as the pilot announced their arrival and answered in flawless English, "my name is Wakaba Sayori, my friends...well actually just about everyone I know calls me Yori, and I am not weird, _Natsume-san_."

* * *

Sighing in relief as I made my way to the information desk I couldn't help but look over my shoulder at the crowd of clueless people flooding out of the plane. Seriously they looked like a swarm of bees in the middle of Alaska, confused and frozen.

It's a wonder any of them were even recommended for this exam. "I guess the quality has dropped in recent years," I muttered to myself while thinking of the idiot I'd been forced to sit next to for the entire fifteen hour ride.

He was just a kid, seven at the most, and looked to be from Africa...but boy could he talk. I didn't think he'd speak so much considering the language barrier but 'luckily' he understood Japanese perfectly.

I suppose that's to be expected as most Hunters could fluently speak at least fifteen languages. In fact it's required to have at least a basic understanding of three languages to become certified.

"But I just didn't expect him to be so fluent in Japanese...or for that other girl to understand English." I stated while picking up my pace. After all everyone knows that the exam started the moment we boarded the plane and I'd hate to get marked off for a late arrival.

Wakaba Sayori was the girl's name, or Yori as her friends called her. "If she even has any friends," I chuckled to myself while throwing open the doors to a dainty French restaurant. The girl Yori was arrogant, emotionless, and just flat out rude, and someone I was out to get.

"_Bonjour Mademoiselle_," one of the waiters called from my right, "_tu__ parles __française__?_" I shook my head indicating I didn't speak French, English, Spanish, and even Italian...but not French. Why? Well simply because I didn't see the point.

In France it is common for the students to learn two, three even four foreign languages. So my logic is, if they'll understand me either way...then there's no point in learning it, especially since I can use that time to learn something else, "like Japanese insults."

Noticing the man's confusing I shook my head and using my limited knowledge of French began asking for the bathroom, "_Je peux aller au toilette?_" I questioned butchering the pronunciation.

"_Oui__!_" The man answered before spouting out French at lightning speed. Noticing my confusion he smiled and led me to the back of the restaurant, and signaled to a door labeled _**la Toilette**_.

"_Merci_," I called as I made my way to the door, and smiling flashed a card in front of the keyhole, watching as the words reformed themselves. Soon I was starring at a sign labeled _**a Tell it to e **_laughing I pressed the _**e **_before leaning down and whispering the password.

A second later a secret door opened up. Looking around to make sure no one noticed my absence I quickly slipped through the doorway and gasped.

No, it wasn't because I was met with an entirely unbelievable and yet totally real room, decorated to the brim with impossible to find items. It had nothing to do with my surroundings that I currently couldn't see. Why couldn't I see it you ask?

Well simple, I was being hurled through a passage way at speeds that I'm pretty sure are illegal, and sent flying through the air only to land in what I presume to a chair. Looking down I noticed that yes, I was indeed sitting in a chair.

"Welcome Natsume-chan, it is so nice of you to join us," a semi-familiar voice called behind me. Whirling around to face the voice I noticed that I was in a small room that's only furnishings were a miniature wooden table and the chair on which I was sitting.

The room itself couldn't have been more than four feet across at the most and three feet wide, to put it simply it was cramped. "Don't worry," the voice called, "you'll be given better arrangements we just didn't expect anyone to arrive so soon."

I noticed that voice was coming from a small radio that I had previously over looked, curious I decided to keep this possible not-stranger talking. "What do you mean?" I innocently questioned.

"Well we didn't expect anyone to arrive before our guest judge, but then again we weren't informed that Alexandra's protégé would be entering either." Hmm...so they know my instructor, wait what were they saying about a guest judge?

"...and who might this guest judge be?" I questioned trying to keep the curiosity out of my voice. No doubt I was still being monitored, and curiosity is not a good quality. You know curiosity killed the cat and all that other jazz, so it's better to keep that on the down-low.

"The judge? Well...alright I suppose there's no harm in telling Alexa's girl. You were going to be told later today anyway." I began drumming my fingers in irritation at being called _Alexa's girl _as if she was my mother. "Yes well the judge, right," the voice began again.

"Right so the guest judge is expected to take over as Council President in a few years, he's been a Hunter for well over ten years now with a notable history in these last few months alone," I looked up in interest at this little tidbit, "yes I'm sure you've heard of him his name's..."

* * *

"Kiryuu," Yori whispered under her breath in anger, while saddling a seven year old kid on her back. "This is entirely your fault," she continued, adjusting her weight to keep the sleeping boy from falling off of her.

"I could've just head straight for the office building on the Headmasters recommendation, but oh no, if I want a license I have to earn it...right Zero-baka!" She yelled at no one in particular and then drew back in surprise.

Not at her anger, she's known for having a foul temper even if you could never tell by her calm persona. No she was more surprised by the fact that she called Kiryuu-kun by his first name, although he wasn't there to hear it...and that brings us back to where Yori actually was at the moment.

"Kiryuu," she spat again acid in her voice before turning into a dainty French restaurant known as_ Le Glace_. "The ice?" she questioned. Having taken a year of French in middle school Yori was subject to a basic knowledge of the language, "or maybe literally a glass?"

"Whatever," Yori muttered under her breath as she pushed the door open and made a bee-line to the first employee she saw, the sooner she got this over with the better.

"_Bonjour Mademoiselle_," she heard behind her, and turned to face a stoic young man maybe two years older than her. Giving the man a tired but relieved smile she answered in French because it would be impossible to motion with her hands occupied by holding the African kid.

"_Bonjour Monsieur, __Ça__va__?_" Yori answered with an impeccable accent, and a joyous smile. After all she had managed to remember something taught to her roughly three years ago, Yori had a naturally good memory, but when it comes to school one can never be too sure.

"_Ah! __Ça__va__bien_," the man answered as a smile graced his lips, "_vous__parlons__française__ mademoiselle?_" Yori blushed at the man's polite wording. In Japan people were respectful especially to strangers, but not always to those younger than you...which was the reason for her surprise.

"_Je__parle__française__ pas mal...excuse __moi__ monsieur_," Yori said well looking around for the restroom, not finding it she decided to end the interesting conversation with the man about whether or not she could speak in the language she spoke to him in.

"_Oui_?"

"_Est-ce que je peux utiliser au toilette?_"

"_Oui__ mademoiselle_," the waiter answered while pointing to a door in the back. Yori nodded her thanks and started walking off, but not before turning around and waiving at the kind gentlemen, "_A __bien__ tout!_" she called from halfway through the restaurant.

"_Et toi!_" he answered, to which Yori took on a somber expression. "I sure hope I have a nice day," she whispered to herself in Japanese just as she reached the bathroom labeled _**L**_**a** _**Toilett**__e_.

"By the look of that _e _someone's been here already..." she mumbled before turning to leave "...again!"

* * *

**Four Hours Later**

"Well I suppose that's everyone," a figure cloaked in black stated while glancing at his watch. A small and rather unattractive man to his right began nodding his head furiously, sending is mud colored tresses everywhere.

"Quite a turn-out this year sir," he spoke up with a throaty voice whilst looking down at the clipboard in his hand. "We've got the Durban brothers from Dutch-land, 12 and13, and the Samehali son from Israel...25 I believe, and unexpectedly Alexa's girl."

"Alexa's girl?" the figure questioned intrigued.

"Oh yes! Hitoriku Natsume, 17, born off the coast of Porto Rico, daughter of African-American Jaine Natsume...deceased, and retired Japanese hunter Kai Natsume, 47, who if you recall was born in Hokkaido and trained by..."

"...yes I'm well aware of our young guest's background," the man snapped annoyed. "Continue," he commanded slightly softer, but with even more authority...if at all possible.

"...um yes, so the youngest to pass the preliminaries would be 11 year old Victoria Snow from Greenla- oh wait!" the man called as the words on his paper began to shift and change, "it seems we have two new arrivals."

"What? But I thought the allotted time has already run out," just then a grandfather clock chimed.

"Made it with seconds to spare, sir," shaking his head in agitation the man made his way to a set of doors. Discarding his robe, this revealed a person roughly 20 years of age with shaggy black hair and dazzling blue eyes, in the process.

"Let's just get this over with," he muttered more to himself than anyone, however a sharp set of ears happened to pick it up, and its receiver was in no way pleased.

"Great," the stranger spat. "She got stuck with Ebeniegne, of all the things that could've gone wrong this is the worst...Ebeniegne as an instructor, really what where those counselors thinking?"

"Not just any instructor," a second voice added, "Rolland's the head of this year's event."

Zero emerged from the shadows and made his way to the assembly. "Ebeneigne Rolland," he muttered as he passed through the door his cohort had but a moment ago. "f all people, she gets stuck with the Ebenezer of the council."

"...and here he is," Zero heard from his right as he stepped through the door and into a brightly lit room. "Our guest judge Kiryuu, Zero." At this Zero turned to glare at Ebenezer...I mean Ebeneigne-san, after all he was going to introduce himself in a more subtle manner.

Sighing Zero went to take the mike from Rolland, only to get a malicious smile, and whispered, "Good luck," as he passed by on his way to exit the balcony. The balcony that over looked all examinees that'd passed the preliminaries by finding their way here.

And their standing in the third row from the back was Yori, glaring at Zero for all she's worth. Although not glares of anger...more like one of surprise and...Wait is that pain? At that thought Zero's heart lurched in an uncomfortable way.

"Must've been a bad blood-tablet," he murmured, tearing his gaze from Yori and beginning his speech.

* * *

Well that's it hope you enjoyed, following is a translation of the French...

_Bonjour Mademoiselle - _Hello young lady.

_Bonjour Monsieur, Ça va? - _Hello sir, how are you?

_Ah! __Ça__ va bien - _Oh, I'm doing good.

_vous parlons __française__ mademoiselle? - _Young lady, do you speak French? (Said formally)

_Je parle __française__ pas mal...excuse moi monsieur - _I speak French okay, excuse me sir...

_Oui_? - Yes?

_Je peux aller au toilette? - _Can I go to the bathroom?

_Est-ce que je peux utiliser au toilette?_ – May I use the toilet? (Said formally)

_Oui mademoiselle - _Yes, young lady.

_A bien tout -_ Have a great day!

_Et toi! - _And you!

So please review...until next time

Ja ne.


	5. Participate

l am SOOO sorry for the late update! I was suffering from major writer's block, since I kind of want this section of the story to be over. I was deciding whether or not to combine this chapter and the next, but I ultimately decided that you guys need to understand Yori's abilities, even if this is a romance fic. I'll try and get the next chapter out soon, after the next two the romance between the two will start to pick up and I'll be able to get chapters out much faster. Till then I'll trudge through for you guys! Well here you go, hope it isn't too horrible...

**Disclaimer:** I in noway own Vampire Knight, you think I can draw like that!

* * *

_Conflict cannot survive without your participation_

_~Wayne Dyer~_

* * *

"You IDIOT!" A voice bellowed scaring a flock of sparrows in a tree outside a dull brick dormitory. "Do you have any idea what you've done? You nearly failed all because you had a sudden whim to help the 'poor defensless' kid, who didn't even make it past the first round!"

"Why don't you tell me how you really feel," Yori muttered sarcastically, nose in a book. Her emerald green sweater falling just off her shoulders. Zero let off a low warning growl that only caused Sayori to sigh. "Look," she mumbled flipping a page in her book, "I passed the round alright? So, who cares if I didn't abandon a kid on the way?"

"The VHA that's who, they'll definitely mark points off."

"For what?" Yori questioned, closing her book and laying it on the coffee table in front of her. _A World Lit Only By Fire _stared back at her. She stood up slowly and crossed to the mini-kitchen on the other side of the room, sidestepping Kiryuu along the way. The room was rather small, barely half the size of the one back at the academy. She'd been promised a bigger one after they move locations for the second exam.

Yori had been ushered into a small room right after the 'opening cermony' had taken place, and told that the first exam was about to commence. The room, which had been no more than a closet with a chair in the middle, had been peculiarly dark. It wasn't until a voice announced, presumably over loudspeaker, to begin, that the lights turned on and the true nature of the exam became apparent. There where riddles, questions, and, puzzles written in rows of three on all four walls, in total there had been twelve problems, each more confusing than the next. Yori instantly realized that she was supposed to answer them, however she ran into a small problem when she had no way to record her answer. After muling it over for a few minutes she decided just to memorize the answers first, she could tackle writing them down later.

The first riddle she came across was simple enough;** I am black, and I fly, and I call to the sky, but a Crow I am not, oh how much bigger am I!** "A Raven," she thought to herself, eyes drifting to the puzzle underneath it. **A four-foot tall tree cast a three-foot long shadow, what is the measure in inches of the distance between the top of the tree and shadow? **"Sixty inches," Yori mumbled bored, eyes slowly dropping to the last question on the first wall, only to pause in confusion.

_"_What the..?" She questioned, walking closer to the wall. "What in the world is that supposed to mean?" Yori had spent the next fifteen minutes glaring at a pictorial rendering of a...Christmas tree.

* * *

Four hooded figures sat in a circle within a dark room. "Have the results arrived?" the one with a blue hood questioned. "The first round ended _three hours ago_! How can we possibly be expected to plan the second round without the results?"

"You worry to much Blaine," the man in the green hood replied, "we already know who passed, it's just a matter of total score that's left" green-robe lowered his hood, revealing a middle aged man with sleeked blond hair and emerald eyes. "Besides, it's not really up to us to devise the next round. Only offer input, isn't that right Ebeneigne?"

Chuckling Ebeneigne lowered his golden hood and peered into the eyes of his questioner. "Yes of course, William, although I do revel in your opinions. They're rather...amusing at times. For example, I distinctly recall being called 'cruel' for choosing the final exam I have. As if vampire filth would treat them any better than the _Kyoufu_." Here the last cloaked figure stiffened, his silver hood obscuring his reaction. "What's your thought on that Zero?"

Zero just raised his eyes and silently glared at Ebeneigne warranting a chuckle from the sadistic man. "The _Kyoufu_?" Blaine whispered. "Surely you're joking Ebeneigne? These aren't just mindless puppets we're testing, granted some are, but others have already been marked for _certain positions _after they pass." Blaine huffed glancing at his compatriots for support only to have them turn away. William for fear of his job, Zero for fear of his life. No not Zero's life, Ebeneigne's, Zero could easily hold his own against any of the men in the room. All of them if need be, not that he would. Zero hated the council, absolutely despised it. However he hated vampires more, and, at least for the moment, the council served his purpose. Besides he was going to be president one of these days and then he'd get rid of people like _Ebeneigne_.

Which is why he averted his stare. If Zero's eyes caught Ebeneigne's, then he wasn't sure he wouldn't immediately attack him. After all Zero was a guest judge, he'd been informed of the particulars of this years test before arriving, and therefore knew that Ebeneigne HAD NOT chosen The _Kyoufu _as his final round. At least not originally, not until he "found out" that Wakaba and him go...what was the phrase he used? "Way back?" Yeah, until discovering his "relationships" with Wakaba, the final round had been a lot, simpler...morally sound...acceptable, take your pick. Point is Ebeneigne had changed the schismatics in order to in danger Yori thereby inconveniencing Zero...and this angered him.

"Well Zero? What do you think about my plan?" Glaring at the opposite wall, Zero grumbled under his breath before standing up and exiting the room. "Gone to warn your pet Zero?" Ebeneigne called after him laughter in his voice. Zero had actually been going to the target range to let of some steam, but abruptly changed directions seeking Yori out. Ebeneigne may be a jerk, but that doesn't mean he was above a good idea now and then. Not that Yori would appreciate it.

* * *

"You want me to what!" Yori yelled from the doorway of her room, Athena precariously swinging on her wrist. Zero just glared at her muttering something unintelligeble under his breath. "Why in the world would I drop out? Especially after passing the preliminaries AND the first round! I'm freakin' half way there!"

"Trust me Wakaba, what you've accomplished is _nothing _compared to what awaits you." Zero watched lazily as Yori shifted her wait, had she always been this sassy or was it just him? "Besides it just so happens that you got stuck with a sadistic little cretin who's only joy in life is making others suffer."

"And?"

"And," Zero muttered eyes twinkling, "the association never informed him about you. Which means," Zero shot out as soon as Yori opened her mouth, and sent a sort of non smile her way as she closed it, "that he will not erase your memory if you lose."

"So?" Yori questioned a little peeved. Now don't get her wrong this is great news but it doesn't explain _why _Zero wants her to quit. Not that Yori wants to be a vampire hunter but she's already here taking the test, and would hate to let that pre-Madonna on the plane think she "couldn't handle" it, whatever that means.

"Kiryuu, you're crazy I just spent the last four hours in a small dark room racking my brains to figure out your guys odd riddles, that do not properly test once intellect. I mean really...a Christmas tree means Douglas Malloch!" Here she paused in her rant to breath, if that particular picture hadn't taken her an hour she may not be quite so peeved...but who knows, "and now you just want me to dro-p ou-t!"

Zero just gave her an uninterested nod and quickly backed of when Yori dangerously narrowed her eyes, Athena glowing as if on fire. "Well, I'm sorry to dissappoint *you, but this test is no longer about what you and the headmaster want. It stopped being about you two the moment I realized what kind of people are supposed to 'protect' the world." Yori reached for her wrist adjusting Athena to keep the heat off of her, and dropped her voice so low Zero had to strain to catch her next sentence.

"I mean, it's not like I agree with attacking _Yuki _or anything, but from what you've told me, and what I've seen, there are some pretty nasty Vampires out there...and I won't feel safe knowing our protectors are, what did you say? Oh yes, 'sadistic little cretins.' or something" Here Yori cut off a faint blush painting her cheeks, "re...really," she mumbled embarrassed, "I wouldn't have to do this if more hunters were like you." Turning around to busy herself Yori missed Zero's sad smirk, and barely caught his words as he left.

"Well I wish you luck, Wakaba."

* * *

"All right, the second round of the 300th annual VHA exam is set to begin!" a voice bellowed over the PA, "so all remaining contestants please report to the auditorium."

Sighing Yori stretched out of bed hair a mess. "really who wakes someone up at," she glances at her clock, "four-thirty?" She mumbled. After sitting still for a second Yori literally jumped out of bed, the meaning of the announcement truly kicking in. Grabbing Athena from her night-side table and throwing a jacket over her bed-wear Yori sprinted out of the room, determined _not _to be the last person to arrive to this round.

Upon arrival Yori noticed roughly eight-teen other contestants, excluding herself, had already made it...that girl from before being one of them. Noticing that she was the only person in PJ's Yori mumbled "how do Vampire Hunters get ready so fast!" A second later an odd professor looking guy entered, three-or so people were trailing behind him, but the doors closed before they could enter.

"Now that we have twenty contestants we can be on our way," the same voice as before resounded from an unknown source. Yori began to follow the group of mismatched people, briefly noting that there where only six girls...barely a quarter, and taking in to account just how close she had been to failing this exam...and she's a _light sleeper_!

"What is she wearing!" Yori heard that girl...Hitoriku was it? Scoff. Ignoring her Yori just kept marching with the group into what appeared to be a shuttle train of some sort. A moment later Zero stood next to her, Yori glanced up at him and then noticed he was pushing a package toward her. Curious she took it and read the tag _Open In Bathroom_. Sending Zero a confused look she was surprised to see he'd left. Shrugging she made her way to the nearest restroom.

Meanwhile, Tori stood glaring at Yori's back, after all she'd seen what just happened...The Kiryuu Zero, had given that...that _thing, _a gift and then left with a. Can you believe it? A faint blush! If Tori didn't hate that girl before she downright despised her now. "Oh well," she muttered, "round two is the Physical portion of the test," she smiled, "and there's no way That Girl could pass that."

Inside the bathroom Yori began to unwrap the gift and was surprised to find some clothes in it, looking down at what she was wearing she blushed realizing just how...revealing her nightgown was in the light. Yori quickly changed into the black hakama pants and white singlet shirt placing the denim jacket she'd brought with over it. Finally she slipped her feet into two dark-brown moccasins, fingering the beads tied to them, and made her way to the front of the train.

* * *

*The _you_used here doesn't have an English equivalent, but is basically an insult like, "I'm sorry to disappoint _some-one like you_, but..."

*Also both Hitoriku, and Ebeneigne speak English, so Zero and Yori don't always understand the sayings like, "go way back" or "couldn't handle it" because they're region specific, like I'm learning French, but French sayings would most likely go over my head.

Well that's all folks...for now! Up next, the Reverse Tournament! Can't wait...hehe (sarcastic)  
Till then REVIEW! Plz...I promise it really does help me update!


	6. Part I

I am sooo...ooooo sorry for the late update! I'd give you guys an excuse, but I honestly don't have one. I've had most of this written for months and I was just having trouble on the ending. Super sorry again! To make up for it I'll start updating regularly. (Schools ending, so I can do that.)

**Discalaimer: **If I owned Vampire Knight it wouldn't take me a year to create 6 chapters. (Sorry again)

P.S - On my profile I'm broadcasting how far I am with this strory. (i.e Chapter 6 - _done_, Chapter 7 - _100 words_.)

* * *

_Never underestimate your problem, or your ability to deal with it._

_~Anders Hanson~_

* * *

"This is the final round of the reverse-tournament; failure to complete this round will result in immediate disqualification." The announcer muttered locking eyes with the five remaining contestants. "We will begin with match A in the southern ring."

Sighing Sayori turned with the impromptu group and made her way to the stands. This had been going on for the past five hours. One match after another, there were only two left and Yori still hadn't gone. At first it had been interesting watching the many different fighting styles of the possible Hunters. Some used swords, some guns, a couple staffs, and Yori had even spotted a few bombs in there.

After a while though it had all gotten old, Yori could only watch the battles for so long. She had stopped paying attention when she could name the typical strategy most fighters employed. If a long distance weapon; keep at least a hundred meters away, if a short distance; stay with in ten meters of target. With both; keep up a constant attack, keep your opponent on the defensive at all times.

It was a sound strategy, but a simple one. Yori had figured it out by the third match, and discovered a perfect counter by the fifth. Not that she would get to use her well thought out strategy, there were only two people left and judging by their weapons Yori doubted they fought like the others.

Sighing Yori started fingering Athena recalling her crash course with Zero just recently…I mean, Kiryuu, her crash course with _Kiryuu_. She had managed to gain a rough grasp of her weapon's ability, she was still far from a master, and was betting on losing in the first five minutes.

"I guess I'm lucky for the tournament layout then," she mumbled thinking back to when she had first arrived at Pinnacle Stadium, the host of the second round.

* * *

"_We are reaching Pinnacle Stadium, I repeat; we are reaching Pinnacle Stadium," a voice called out over the train's loud speaker. "All passengers are to head to one of the exits, no more than four to an exit please!"_

_Yori grumbled, slowly waking from the dream she'd had, something about fire and kings, or some other unimportant thought. Grabbing her PJ's in one arm she sauntered over to the only exit available, exit 4. Had she known this would mean an entire day wasted to useless observation then she may have asked 'cough' begged 'cough' someone to trade with her._

_Unfortunately she was none the wiser, and so precariously made her way to the exit, before absentmindedly leaving the train with the others. Glancing around she briefly noticed the four other people with her, all guys, were sporting smug smirks, as if they had just won the lottery. Ignoring their oddities Yori consentrated on her new surroundings._

_Pinnacle Stadium was like something straight out of a Fairy Tale, and not a good something either. From their position on a hill (where the train station was located) the contestants could easily make out the five...odd, arena's scatterd about the battle scarred land. In it's own twisted way the 'Stadium' seemed to resemble a compass._

_It had an arena corresponding with and named after each direction, and then it had a star shaped, stage? In the center. Tunning in on the announcers rough explanation she managed to learn that each arena was created with an element in mind, as many Vampires tend to have elemental powers. Yori felt it wise not to point out that those were Noble-level Vampires and above...people the VHA shouldn't be messing with in the first place._

_The one interesting thing Yori learned before being dragged away to a day of boredom, was the reason why this tournament had been called a Reverse Tournament..you weren't fighting to win, that's the last thing you wanted to do. No, you were meerily fighing to not lose._

_You see the Reverse Tournament is set up so that each group that exited through the same door would be competing with in the same arena. Yori's group would be competing in the Southern Air arena at the end of the day. Their are five people in each group and your goal is to be the weakest person there._

_The reason is the tournament works in, well, reverse, with the weakst members making it to the center stage first. Basically, you enter the arena you and your partner duke it out, if you loose you become a clover and the winner is a diamond. Group two enters and battles it out, same deal. Then the two clovers battle it out, with the looser becoming a heart. Same thing with the two diamonds but the winner becomes a Spade._

_The odd man out gets his choise of opponent, knowing that if he wins he takes his opponents rank, and if he losses he becomes a rank lower. (In the case of loosing to a Heart he is immediatly dissqualified.)_

_The ranks are as follows Spade-Diamond-Clover-Heart. Now the reason people want to lose, to everyone short of a Heart, is because at the end of the day your rank determines your final opponents, in the element-changing arena (center 'star' stage). If you are placed in the Hearts then your opponents are that much easier...supposedly._

_Yori had instantly fallen in love with the reverse psychology of the Reverse Tournament. It was truely amazing to think of how hard everyone will try to loose in order to battle 'weaker' opponents. Who having purposly lost themselves won't in fact be all that weak. The best strategy would be to place somewhere in the middle...Diamond preferably, Clover would also do. _

_That way Yori would actually be batteling the weakest (as the actual strong fighters would welcome the competition of being a Spade.) Laughing to herself she had made up her mind. She was going to make it through this competition and she was going to have her intellect to thank for that._

* * *

"3...2...1," shouted the announcer, snapping Yori out of her memories, "and the winner is Marcus." Yori softly clapped for the loser sizing him up as her competition. After all there was no way she was going to win her match.

"Next up is match B, can Jean and Pedro please make their way to the arena?" Yori was shocked, she hadn't taken into consideration that she may be the one to recieve the by-pass, not that she got to truelly by-pass anything. Calculating quickly she decided she would challenge whoever lost the 'semi-finals' and was crowned a Diamond.

That way if she loses she'll be a Clover, and even if she wins she won't be a Spade. "I also won't feel as if I'm messing with my opponents chances at winining," she quietly thought to herself, once again fingering Athena.

A half hour later and Yori was still fingering Athena and daydreaming of home, well Cross Academy, which as far as Yori was concerned is home. "Wakaba, Sayori," the announcer, um, annonunced. Shaking her head to clear her thougts, Sayori sighed while heading to the center of the stage.

"I challenge whoever holds the title of Diamond," Yori muttered to hersefl briefly noticing that the announcer had jotted down her comment. "Where had he gotten that pad from?" She wondered to herself.

"I am he!" A man called from behind Sayori, groaning Yori turned to face the most egoistical man in her group, Pedro. "It is an honor to be called to fight again," he rambeled, not that anyone was truelly paying attention, "but I feel I should incourage you to drop out."

Yori allowed a small smile to grace her lips as she remembered Zero's rules of battle from her first day of pracatice. "One," she thought to herself while nodding to alert the judge that she was ready. "Never underestimate an opponent."

"Begin!"

Yori barely registered the judges words as she jumped back and grabbed Athena with her left arm. Completely covering the Omega symbol. Pedro had already reached into his hair and pulled out, "a comb, are you serious?" The guy just smirked before pushing down a leftern 'tooth.' Yori was instantly alert, Zero's rules still playing in her mind. "Two; never underestiamte a weapon...any weapon."

Taking a step back Yori felt herself reach the edge of the arena. Now, falling out does not equal disqualification, but seeing as this was the Air arena the commitee felt the need to have the arena rise a good 50 meters. No, falling out may not disqualfy, but it can kill.

"You should just give up little girl," Yori's opponent taunted the comb in his hand glowing brightly, "after all the only reason I'm not a Spade is because my opponenet bored me to sleep."

"Dang," Yori thought to herself while pulling Athena off her wrist and spinning it on her finger. "I probably should've been watching my opponents matches more carefully."

Five minutes later and Yori stood over her opponents passed out body, illuminated in a soft green light. A broken comb in her hand, "Three" she murmered, "never underestimate yourself." Yori turned to walk away just as the announcer bellowed out the results.

"Winner, Sayori!"

The rest of the day passed in a tiering blur. Sayori had ignored the remaining matches in favour of searching for Kiryuu. She had wanted to rub her victory in his face...and sort of thank him for training her. After all, she did have some manners and knew the only reason she had won was because he'd taken the time to teach her. That and her opponent was so completely cocky that he had foolishely allowed her the first move.

She had searched for a good portion of the afternoon only to have to rush back in time for her final match. When she entered the arena she noticed the odd group of contestants she would have to fight.

* * *

I'm splitting this up into two parts. Sorry, you wait soo long and then I don't even give you guys a complete chapter :(  
But I shall make up for it. Hey don't give me that look I'm serious! You can expect an update sometime before next Friday. Then we get to explore Yori's subconciounce in Chp. 8 and finally return to Cross Academy in Chp. 9 (if it all goes according to plan.)

Well, hope this was worth the wait, and I'm truelly sorry, really I am!


	7. Part II

Well here it is, part II...see I can update on time (because it is still Friday somewhere!) Anyway, the next chapter is critical for Yori...after it's done we'll finally...FINALLY! Be returning to Cross Academy...then we can have our two clueless love birds struggle for a bit, ne?

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight...I don't want to either...who knows what those REAL vampires would say about me leaking their secret...

* * *

"A fight is not won by a puch or a kick. Either learn to endure, or hire a bodygaurd."

~Bruce Lee~

* * *

_She had searched for a good portion of the afternoon only to have to rush back in time for her final match. When she entered the arena she noticed the odd group of contestants she would have to fight._

One thought rang through Yori's head as she took in the people looking at her…why? Why had she agreed to this stupid competition? Why had she fought so hard to make it this far? Why had she continued to fight even when she'd had the chance to walk away? "Why?" Yori whispered starring into the eyes of her competition, eyes seething with determination.

"I need to figure out why," she continued, "if I can't…then there's no way I'll be able to win this fight."

* * *

"Why?" Zero wondered, looking at the paper in his hand. "He shouldn't have the authorization to do this…so why?"

Sighing Zero got up from the mahogany desk he'd had placed in his hotel room and made his way to his window. He'd spent the last eight hours reviewing the letters Ebeneigne-san had sent to the VHA headquarters requesting permission to use **Kyoufu** in the final round. The one thing he'd immediately picked up on, was that Ebeneigne-san _did not_ have the approval of the VHA, rather he was told _not _to use **Kyoufu**.

The second thing he'd picked up on, was his (Zero's) interest in this. Zero is very rarely interested in things. He was raised since birth to be the perfect hunter; and trained to only care about the hunt…everything else were just distractions. Hunting, however, wasn't an interest to him…it was a requirement.

Then there was his family…his parents held no interest to him. He loved them, that much was certain, but they were so busy with their own hunts that Zero hardly saw them. As such, he held no interest in them. Ichiru was another story. Zero loved his brother, dearly, and made it a point to take an interest in him…of course things changed after _that night_. Since then his only interest had been Shizuka, and of course…

"Yuki," Zero mumbled, watching a sparrow fly from a tree outside his window. Yes, Yuki had also been of interest to Zero, of course that too had disappeared. It had waned when she changed, and completely vanished when she chose to follow _him_. Now all Zero felt was a sense of emptiness when thinking about his former friend…his former love.

None of this, however, explained why Zero was taking such an interest in this case. Normally he'd ignore the situation, maybe report it if he noticed vampire stink on it. Other wise he'd just let fate run its course. So…why? Why did he care so much? What was it about this situation that made him so uneasy?

Moving from the window Zero decided to drop the matter. If he hadn't been able to figure out any of his questions in the past eight hours he'd been pondering them, it was unlikely he'd be able to figure them out now. It would be better to train, maybe he'd be done in time to see Sayori's final match.

Sayori…since when had he started referring to her as such? Even, if just his mind. "Probably around the time Ebeneigne threatened her," he mused. It made sense, she's here under his protection, so when Ebeneigne threatened her _those_ instincts came out. By those, of course, he meant his vampire instincts.

"I thought of her as mine, and he threatened that. I think of her as mine…she is my student and he's going to put her in danger…that's why I'm so interested." Satisfied with his answer Zero left to go get some target practice in. Even in a secure place like this level-E's lurked.

He left, never suspecting for even a moment that his answer had been wrong. That he thought of Yori as his. Not his student, not Yuki's friend, just his. So Zero set off to hunt, oblivious to his own feelings…by the time he returned Yori had already begun her melee battle.

* * *

"Begin!" the announcer called from his mega-phone a safe distance away. Instantly the group of wannabe hunters jumped back, to the point where they were all on the edge of the stadium. Only one lone girl had yet to move, not because she couldn't, she was physically able. Rather, because Yori didn't see the point.

Yes, Wakaba Sayori currently stood in the center of the stage surrounded by a horde of trained fighters, and yet...she was completely calm. From where she was she could see all of the contestants in front of her.

Locking eyes with each one of them, Yori decided on her game plan…weakness. Her idea was to rely on her apparent weakness to, well…it's better if you just watch. The next moment the people from all sides came charging, as if this was a planned stampede. Thinking on her feet, literally, Yori jumped in the air.

With her lack of formal training she wasn't able to leap too high, but she had made it high enough to avoid a headlong collision. When she landed, she noticed that all of the opponents had paired off, and where fighting a series of one-on-one battles. Slinking to a corner she smiled at her good-fortune.

They hadn't noticed her. Or, at least, they hadn't cared. This. Was. Perfect. It was just the break Sayori needed. She'd only started training recently, if she'd been forced into this tournament-style battling, she'd be guaranteed to lose. It had been a total fluke that she had won her first match…no matter what the referee said, but it was alright because Yori had an ace up her sleeve.

Although she didn't have the experience of some of the contestants, her intelligence more than made up for it. Not to mention her weapon was an unknown. It gave her the element of surprise. Smirking, Yori made her way around the perimeter of the arena dropping…something, along the way. She was laying a trap, and as long as she wasn't interrupted, it just may work.

Thirty minutes passed and Sayori was beginning to get a _little_ sick of being ignored. Granted it did have its advantages, but at the same time she had just spent 12 bloody hours (give or take) watching people fight...so she was a just slightly bored. "Am I really so unnoticable?" She questioned.

Sighing Yori side-stepped another flying body. She'd had to do that a lot recently as hunters seemed to prefer winning their self-appointed matches, by _throwing their opponents out of the ring._

In the past half-hour the number of contestants had slowly reduced, to the point were only about a third remained, it be but a matter of seconds before someone decided to pick a fight wi- oh lookie there, someone just threw a punch at Yori, I guess she's finally worth noticing! Any way, the punch obviously took Yori off gaurd, and as such she went flying. Thankfully she had the sense to land in the ring. Whiping the blood that had dripped from her mouth she sent a small smirk her opponents way...she was finally getting to fight, maybe she could have some fun before springing her trap.

**_"Ya'll should be givin' up right 'bout now lil' lass!"_** her opponent called in English, at least she _thinks_ it's English...it sounds completely different from what she grew up speaking. Writing it off as an *American butchering the language Yori just smiled and flawlessly replied.

**_"I'm truelly apoligetic sir, but you see...I haven't the faintest idea of what you are saying."_** Spinning Athena around her wrist, Yori continued to smile, her eyes lighting up with excitment, **_"I regret to inform you, however, that I am about to win this match." _**The next second Yori's bracelet fell to the floor in a pile of chains with odd characters randomly carved into them. The tip of the chain's two ends were sharpened to resemble knives. Extreemly thick, handle-less, knives.

Glaring at her, the man (dubbed Bob) pulled out two handguns. Guns that he pointed at Yori. "Aren't those Vampire guns?" Yori mummbeled to herself confused. She may not know much about this world, but she was pretty sure vampire weapons couldn't really damage humans. Well, technically they just couldn't _kill_ humans. Getting shot with a bullet, regardless of your species, really hurts.

"Either way, he's got to be planning something." She decided, while grabbing the center of Athena Arkeo, her weapon's first form. Holding the chain at eye level, she just smiled as the two blades clanged together somewhere near her kneecaps. She loved this form of Athena, it was simple to control and would do no more than cut her if something went wrong. It was quiet preferable to either the Xiphos, Aikia or Haima forms.

Especially not the Haima form. Haima was greek for blood, and it wasn't the Vampire's it drew from, but that's besides the point. Any way, while Yori was trapped in her own thoughts Bob had shot his guns...noticing this Yori just smiled and drew a triangle with her her wrist. The very wrist that held Arkeo. The blades of Arkeo clanged together and the sound waves caused the bullets to be thrown away.

**_"You should give up right about now, big guy." _**She mocked before drawing a star in the air...the next second Bob was flying, curtesy of the sound waves. Smiling, Yori turned back to her trap. "Now I know why they're all so eager to win that way, it was kind of...fullfiling." With a flick of her wrist Arkeo was back to *Athena another flick and Athena changed once more to a thine metal stick...her Keravnos.

Sending one last glance to the remaining contestants Yori chuckled. They had let their gaurds down, and now they were going to pay the price. Sighing at the thought of the energy this would take, Yori took a gulp before shoving Keravnos into the ground. A moment later the lightning rod sent a current of electricity throughout the metal wire Yori had previously placed. Shocking everyone on the field into unconciousness. Everyone, aside from Yori and a thirty year old caucassian, both of which had been wearing something made of rubber.

"Kami, please don't tell me I have to fight this guy," she silently prayed, eyes dilluting from her lack of energy. "I've only got about two minutes before I fai-" at that exact moment the white man fell to the ground, unconcious. "Thank Kami," Yori muttered before promptly fainting herself, just as Zero arrived on the scene. Her last thought was that she now knew why. Why she continued to fight despite everything. She now knew why, and with that she fainted, a smile on her face.

"Winner, Wakaba Sayori!" The announcer proudly declared. Zero just stood there staring at the odd picture Sayori made. A girl, roughly 17, was laying on a tattered field sleeping. Her clothes were burned and her hair seemed to be a standing up a bit. Right behind her, poised like a victorious flag, was her weapon...a lightning rod. It made for an angelic picture...not that he'd ever admit it outloud.

Walking onto the scarred battelfield, Zero slowly bent down to pick Sayori up bridal-style. He suppressed a wince as he felt an electrick shock, and waited for Keravnos to revert to Athena before picking it up (pain and all) and heading out of the field.

All of this had been done wordlessly. Not one noise had escaped since the announcer's verdict, and yet, the silence seemed to scream. In its own way, the silence of the world was screaming. The question is...why?

* * *

Alright, my least favourite chapiter is DONE! Whoot! I can now concentrate on the interesting (to me) part of the story. Anyway I like the idea of deadlines, it forces me to write...so I'll probably stick with it for a bit, expect the next update a week from Monday (if not, that Friday.) Hey I have exams!

*Athena is her weapons name, it has a couple of forms (they won't all appear) and each form has a Greek word preceded by Athena (i.e Athena Keravnos.) She drops Athena from their name so it's just Keravnos, and Athena is used to descrine the original form...the bracelet.

* I have no problem with southerners, and neither does Yori. She was just stating her thoughts at the time. ;)

Well, hope you enjoyed, 'till next time...

Ja ne!


	8. Party?

I've decided to stop giving excuses, things always get in the way of my updating, and my procrastination doesn't help, so I should just accept it and move on. Just know that no matter what I will finish this story, I will not give up as long as you guys are there to read it. Granted, I won't fault anyone who gave up a long time ago, hehe.

**Disclaimer:** Nope, don't own Vampire Knight. If I did, well it would never get updated.

* * *

_Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live._

_-Norman Cousins_

* * *

Sayori stood outside the acadamy, wind rustling in her hair. Had it really been no more than a week since she left? She felt so different, as if she'd been gone for a few years. So much had changed, and yet, to an outsider, everything was the same.

The only difference being, of course, the small charm hanging off of her bracelet. Her Hunter Badge, not that they'd know that. No, they'd have no clue what Yori had to go through to be allowed that badge. Or the meaning of the badge in general, the 'honor' associated with it, as the association liked to claim.

"Oi Sayori, hurry up!" Zero called over his shoulder striding towards the academy at a rather brisk pace. He was determined to arrive before the Day class awoke, as he could already invision the teenagers endless questions.

"Ah! Zero-san, slow down!" Yori, whisered trying hard not to wake her fellow students, "I can't walk that fast, my legs are too short."

"Then run."

Yori just shook her head at Zero's anticts having grown reasonably comfortable with his rude exterior. It was bearable, after all, because she knew that wasn't his true character.

No, his true character was the one he showed her on the last day of her 'exam' when he thought she wasn't going to make it. When he thought she was going to dissappear. Leave his life. Die.

_"Don't give in Wakaba!" Zero screamed from his place on the belocony, knuckles bleeding white as he clenched the metal banister, "you said you could do this, so don't you **dare **give in!" Yori heard more than saw Zero, not that she could understand what he was saying. Not while she was being forced to face the demons of her past; her memories of her family._

_She couldn't understand a word of what Zero screamed, but it still warmed her heart that he took the energy to scream at all. After all, he's not exactly known for his strong showing of emotions. Perhaps it was this that gave her the courage to face the truth. The truth that he, her father was dead, the truth that her grandmother couldn't protect her, and that, yes, her mother-_

"Sayori, you're daydreaming again."

_-hated her._

"Wha? Oh! Sorry Zero-san, I was just thinking back to-um, never mind." Zero cast Yori a confused look before turning to the Chairman. Yori assumed they'd entered his office sometime during her flashback.

"We have returned headmaster Cross," Yori muttered bowing respectfully.

"Yeah, we're back." Zero drawled eyes trained somewhere to the left.

"We~ll that's just wonderfull!" The Headmaster beamed, "and just in time too!"

"In time?" Yori pondered, out loud.

"Yup, the Night Class will be arriving in a few hours." Headmaster Cross said as if he'd just announced the weather...though Yori doubted talk of the weather could ever garner such a reaction as theirs.

"Yuki's coming back!" Yori mumbled in glee, smiling lightly to herself.

"..._they're _coming back?" Zero spat in disgust, a grimace painting his face.

"Why didn't you tell me!" They both, questioned.

"W-well," the chairman muttered, eyes darting to Zero in mock fear, "I couldn't very well reach you at the '_super secret' _Hunter Exam."

"Bull-shit." Zero spat out, "your still a chairman, however reluctant the council is about it. You could've gotten a hold of us at any time."

"Yes, but I didn't want to distract Yori-chan..."

"I wouldn't have been distracted," Yori stated slipping on her icy 'professional' persona, "I would've probably fought harder knowing Yuki was waiting for me." Yori felt Zero stiffen beside her but kept her eyes trained on her Headmaster...and Chairman now, she supposed.

Sighing, the Headmaster mumbled, "everyone's a critic," before looking between Zero and Yori, and answering, "I didn't tell you because, honestly, I didn't know. Relations are still tense...for obvious reasons," at this the chairman glared meaningfully at Zero, "so we couldn't come to an agreement about this until you two where already on the plane back."

"Okay," Yori called, stepping between Zero and Headmaster Cross, "so what arangments have been made?"

"I am s~o glad you asked, Sayori dear!" Cross sang, back to his happy facade, "we decided to allow the Night Class to hold a party 'introducing' them to the Day class this Friday!"

"Wait, WHAT!" Yori and Zero yelled simutaniously.

"You know, you two really need to stop doing that, people will start to get the wrong idea if you keep at it," the Headmaster chuckled. His chuckle increased into a full out laugh at Yori and Zero's light blushes.

"Never mind us," Zero growled, "what's this about a dance?"

"What's this," Yori interupted, "about a dance in two days?"

"It's too dangerous!" Zero seethed.

"It's too soon!" Yori pleaded.

"We don't have time to set up a protection detail," he continued.

"We don't have time to set up a party, period."

"WE AREN'T PREPARED!" they ended together.

"It has all been taken care of," an eerily familiar voice called from behind the two prefects. Within a second Zero had drawn is gun, bloody rose, and pivted on the spot. Aiming his weapon at the newcomer.

"Kuran." He spat, anger flashing in his eyes.

"Zero!" Yori yelled, stepping in his line of fire, "put that away!" Yori watched warrily as Zero reluctantly lowered his gun to the floor.

"Zero?" a second voice called, stepping out from behind Kaname. "I didn't know you two were on such familiar terms Yori-chan," Yuki called playfully to her best-friend. "To be able to call _Kiryuu-san _by his first name, he must care about you."

Yori noticed the lack of familiarity Yuki used when talking about Zero, she treated him almost like a stranger. Glancing in Zero's direction Yori noticed his tense postion and the fact that he hadn't put Bloody Rose away, only pointed her at the ground.

"Like I said; people will get the wrong idea," Headmaster Cross interjected playfully successfully defusing the tense aura that had been engulfing them all.

"It's not like that Yuki," Yori mumbled, smiling shyly at her best friend. Still a little floored at how beautiful being a vampire had made her.

"Hmph," Zero grunted before storming out of the office.

"Probably went to train," Yori stated while watching Zero's retreating back. Before shaking her head and turning to the two Pureblood Vampires. "Um...if you don't mind me asking, what do you mean; you have it all prepared?"

Yori had directed her question to Kaname as he had made that statement, but instead Yuki answered, "oh we have the party all planed already. That's been ready for ages, you know vampires can't enter anywhere without a party, they're very Elizabethean like that."

"So the party's prepared?"

"Yup!" Yuki smiled, nodding.

"...and the protection detail? Zero, um I m-mean Kiryu-kun, was worried about that."

"I've offered some of my men to help patrol, but the chairman insisted that Kiryu-san and you need be the only one's inconvenienced." Kaname added helpfully.

"Did he now?" Yori questioned dangerously, turning to give the Headmaster her special glare-of-death, promising some sort of retribution.

"But of course I insisted that they should assist regardless, so you shall be accompanied with Aido, Cain and Seri. They are all quite capable and should make you're job that much easier."

"Thank you," Yori released a tensed breath sending a smile towards Kaname, before a thought hit her. "Wait a minute...I thought you guys weren't supposed to be arriving for a few hours yet."

Kaname nodded, "I had some pressing things to discuss with Headmaster Cross, and Yuki was adamant about accompanying me, something about 'catching up' with a friend of hers?"

"Moe," Yuki pouted, "you don't have to tease me just 'cause I wanted to see Yori a day earlier! Come on Yori," Yuki mumbled while grabing Yori's hand and dragging her from the office, "let's let these men talk about their boring stuff alone, we have a lot more important things to talk about."

"Like what?" Yori called nervously.

"Well, Kiryu-san and you for starters," Yuki chuckled before turning out of earshot of those still in the office. Kaname closed the door to the room before turning to the Headmaster.

"So," Cross started, "what's so important that you couldn't risk waiting another 3 hours?"

Kaname seemed to stare meaningfully into the headmasters eyes for an eternity before opening his mouth and muttering, "it's about the party..."

* * *

"Okay, spill," Yuki said as soon as Yori and her where out of ear-shot and in their own private hang-out by the horse stalls. "I want to hear everything about you and Zero."

"Zero? What happened to 'Kiryu-san'?" Yori mocked.

Yuki just rolled her eyes exhasperatedly, "Kaname gets jelous really easily, so I can't call him 'Zero' infront of Kaname...not that Zero would want me to call him by his first name anyway..."

Sighing, Yori prepared herself to slip back into the role of comforter. The best friend that was there whenever Yuki needed to vent or whine.

Yuki, however, suprised Yori by sobering up almost immediatly. Yuki turned to Yori a mischieveous glint in her eyes, "so?" She pressed.

"So?"

"So?" she continuned unabashedly, "how did you and Zero end up together?"

Yori blushed a brillant red before shaking her head vigurously, "i-it's not li-like that!" Yori stumbled out, embarassed. "We've just become closer with him helping me train and stuff..."

"Train?"

"Yeah, to be a hunter," Yori muttered holding up her braclet to show Yuki her license. Yuki's stunned expression, was expected but still the acknowledgment of her silent betrayel, albeit unwillingly, hurt.

"Oh, wow...Yori, I mean, wow...congradulations!" The pureblood called in excitment glomping Yori.

"Well, that was certainly...unexpected," Yori thought to herself. Yuki continued to look at the licence reverantly a smile on her face, and for the first time since she'd been dubbed a hunter Yori felt pride in her accomlishment.

"Wow, when did this happen?"

"This past week, Zero's been training me with Athena," Yori held up her braclet, "so that I would at least stand a chance in the competition."

"Humph," Yuki huffed, crossing her arms, "he always refused to train me when I asked, and he shot down my application to the association too!"

"Well," Yori started, chuckeling at her friends immaturity, "he wasn't too keen on it with me either, your father and I had to basically force him to let me compete, and he only trained me because I put his pride on the line."

"Wow I've missed a lot," Yuki mussed before shacking her head, the mischieveous look back. "But even if you had spent years of training together that still wouldn't cause Zero to give you permission to use his name, and you're such a stikler for rules he'd have to say, 'you can call me Zero' specifically before you'd even consider it!"

_"You can call me Zero," a voice called from the beyond the cold, "...if you want."_

Yori blushed at the memory, cursing herself when Yuki instantly noticed. Stupid vampire and her stupid superhuman abilities.

"See, you are together!" Yuki triumphantly called.

Groaning Yori sighed and got ready to tell Yuki exactly why she calls Zero, well...Zero. "No Yuki," she grummbled, "we aren't 'together' we've just...bonded...over one of the events at the exams."

"Really, what happened."

"This really isn't something I want to talk about..." Yori started before noticing Yuki's pout and crumbling, "but it took place during the third stage of the exam...during the hypothetical exam."

Yuki nooded encouragingly waiting for Yori to continue.

"Well; we we're awoken at roughly 2 a.m-the 4 remaining contestants and I-we were told to go into this dark room, and then..."

* * *

_"Hello...is anyone there?" Yori called while moving through the blackness that cloked the room. "I was told this is where the last Exam will take place." She continued listening helplessly for some sign of life. Nothing._

_"Well I guess I'll just leave then..."_

_"Wait!" A vaguly familiar voice called for Yori's right, "Sayo-lee or whatever your name was."_

_"Sayori," Yori mumbled annoyed, having figured out who the voice belonged to just as Natsume Hitoriku stepped into sight. "My name is Wakaba Sayori, now what are you doing here?"_

_"Yeah whatever," Tori called in boredom, "I don't really care about your name, I just wanna know if you caught a glimpse of the time before you stupidly walked in here."_

_"It's 2, why? And what do you mean 'stupidly' this is where the exam's going to happen, your being here only confirms it."_

_"2 exactly? I need to know." Tori asked ingnoring Yori's questions._

_"No it was 2:14...I think...now about my questions?"_

_"Kuso," Tori mumbled as she began pacing, or at least Yori thought it was pacing, she couldn't quite see in the darkness. "I'd heard Ebeineigne was a bit of a loose cannon but I never imagined he'd go against the council himself."_

_"What are you on about!" Yori screamed drawing Tori to a full stop, "I want answers and I want them now, what's this about gouing against the council, and why does it matter what time it is?"_

_Sighing Tori turned to face Yori, "I guess I'll have to tell you since I don't think the other two are coming."_

_"What do you me-_

_"Just don't ask questions," Tori interrupted, "until I'm done, just try and keep quiet, okay?"_

_Yori nodded he head annoyed._

_"Right, well where to start? Okay first, Ebeineigne is the proctor of this years Exam, he's in charge of all of the events and stuff. He's kind of a wack-job but he gets his missions done so no-one questions him. Anyway I think he wanted the third Exam to be a little more difficult than the previous years, but the council probably turned him down, real stickler for casaulties those folk, so he must've decided to start this exam without the councils approval."_

_"How do you know the council didn't approve it, whatever it is, and that this isn't just the third exam?"_

_Tori glared at Yori for talking before answering, "because you said that the time was 2:14 there's only one Exam that would need to begin so early, one that needs the natural darkness of the night, and the council would never approve it."_

_"How do you know?"_

_"...because my father is on that council and I don't think he fancies me insane."_

_"What? How do you mean, insane?"_

_"I mean, Yori, there's only one Exam, one room we can be in and its the Kyoufu, so welcome, welcome to the room of insanity."_


End file.
